


the sum of all things

by kangeiko



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Episode Related, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-21
Updated: 2007-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-08 06:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/73737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kangeiko/pseuds/kangeiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Buffy, during <em>Earshot </em>(S3).</p>
            </blockquote>





	the sum of all things

She's a rag and bone shop, now, a basket full of other people's trash. Little secrets, thoughts and touches, all the dirty red things they'd all done, all sent crawling under her skin like an army of spiders, _skitter skitter skitter,_ millions of tiny pinpricks in her brain.

_// Cordelia surreptitiously passing him a note during class, with nothing on it except a time and 'closet' in tiny perfect handwriting - //_

 

It will take a while to sort through it all, Giles tells her. The aftermath is an ice cream headache with lingering pain behind her eyelids; too much strain on all her senses at once. It will take some time, but she'll get through it. He has faith in her.

 

_// Willow's face in the mirror, and salt on the dressing table, and the pencil rising, rising … //_

 

She runs a bath. Sits in it for three solid hours, eyes closed.

 

_// Wide, strong hands at her waist, lifting her up on to the cold metal of the police car; her skirt riding up; something thick pressing at her hip; a flash of blue eyes and low, familiar laughter - //_

 

She doesn't think she's ever gonna get clean.

*

fin


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